What Elco Machine Company does

Elco Machine Company is a privately held precision machining job shop founded in 1967 as Ed Lea Co. by aerospace machinist Edwin Lea in Burbank, California. The company relocated to San Luis Obispo in 1980 and was acquired in 1997 by John and Beverly Boitel, who continue to own and operate the business through its legal entity, Celea, Inc. Headcount is disclosed at 1-10 employees, indicating a small, owner-operated shop concentrated in a single California facility.

The company specializes in CNC milling, CNC turning, and precision machining of metal and plastic components. Technical capabilities include 4-axis CNC milling and through-spindle coolant, and Elco supports prototype through mid-volume production runs of 10 to 10,000 units. The firm serves a diverse set of end markets, including agriculture, aeronautics, automotive, medical, oil and gas, semiconductor, and musical instruments, indicating a horizontal, multi-vertical customer mix rather than a single-industry focus.

Elco operates a direct, quote-based sales model with no visible digital marketing presence, no e-commerce channel, and no disclosed certifications (e.g., AS9100, ISO 9001, ISO 13485), patents, or partnerships. Revenue mechanics are project-based and transactional, with pricing driven by part complexity, material, and quantity. The business model relies on relationship-driven selling, qualified supplier status with regional industrial buyers, and shop-floor execution rather than proprietary technology or recurring contracted revenue, which leaves utilization and revenue dependent on the order book of a small set of repeat customers.

Name

Elco Machine Company

Legal name

Celea, Inc.

Website

https://elco-machine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Elco Machine Company is a California-based precision CNC machining job shop founded in 1967, serving aerospace, medical, semiconductor, automotive, and other industrial customers with prototype and low-to-mid-volume production runs of 10 to 10,000 units.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision CNC Machining Services

NAICS

Machine Shops (332710)

SIC

Screw Machine Products (3451)

akta.pro primary industry

CNC Machine Tools (Turning, Milling, Machining Centers) (IMAHADAA)

Keywords

• Precision CNC machining
• Custom metal machining
• CNC milling services
• CNC turning services
• Precision component manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

San Luis Obispo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Precision CNC Machining Services: Custom CNC machining of precision components for metals and plastics. Revenue is generated through job-based manufacturing services ranging from single prototypes to production runs of 10-10,000 units. Pricing is quote-based, reflecting the custom nature of each job.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Elco Machine Company is a precision contract manufacturer providing custom CNC machining of metal and plastic components. Core processes include CNC turning of cylindrical parts from bar stock and 4-axis CNC milling of prismatic and complex geometries, supported by in-house finishing, assembly, and modification services. Production runs scale from 10 to 10,000 units with high repeatability and tight tolerances.

Product overview

Elco Machine Company is a precision custom manufacturing provider specializing in CNC machining services for metals and plastics. The company offers a unified suite of manufacturing services centered on CNC Turning and CNC Milling as core capabilities, complemented by value-added services including Assemblies, Modifications, and Finishing Services. CNC Turning produces precision cylindrical parts from bar stock with external and internal features, while CNC Milling creates prismatic parts with 4-axis capabilities. Additional offerings enable customers to receive fully finished, assembled components ready for use.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CNC Turning Custom CNC turning process using computer-controlled single-point cutting tools to remove material from rotating workpieces. Produces cylindrical parts from round, hex, or square bar stock with external and internal features such as grooves, tapers, knurls, barbs, bores, broaches, and threads. Targeted at industrial manufacturers needing precision turned components in metals or plastics.
• CNC Milling Custom CNC milling process using computerized controls and rotating multi-point cutting tools to progressively remove material from workpieces. Includes 4-axis capability for complex prismatic geometries and through-spindle coolant for improved finishes and deep hole drilling. Targeted at industrial manufacturers needing precise milled components in metals or plastics.
• Assembly Services Full assembly services that deliver fully assembled components to customers, complementing CNC turning and milling. Targeted at manufacturers that want ready-to-install sub-assemblies rather than individual parts.
• Component Modification Services Custom modification of off-the-shelf or supplied components to add holes, grooves, flats, cutouts, or other features so they meet exact customer specifications. Targeted at manufacturers needing small modifications to standard parts.
• Finishing Services Metal finishing and surface treatment processes including anodizing, black oxide, cadmium plate, chem film, gold plate, manganese phosphate, nickel plate, passivation, and zinc plate, delivered through trusted vendor partnerships. Targeted at manufacturers that want fully finished components ready for use.

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Direct peers

• Fictiv: Fictiv runs an on-demand manufacturing platform focused on CNC machining, injection molding, and 3D printing, connecting buyers to qualified suppliers. It competes directly with Elco's custom CNC milling and turning service for the same engineer and production-manager buyer across similar run sizes.
• Cox Manufacturing: Cox Manufacturing is a precision screw machine and CNC turning shop producing high-volume turned components from bar stock for industries including aerospace, defense, and medical. It is comparable to Elco as both deliver precision turned parts from cylindrical bar stock with strict tolerances and serve similar regulated customer verticals.
• Hubs (Protolabs Network): Hubs (now operated by Protolabs) is an online manufacturing platform offering CNC machining and related services through a global partner network. It is a direct peer to Elco's custom CNC turning and milling business, especially for the prototype-to-low-volume segment the platform targets.
• Owens Industries: Owens Industries is a precision machining job shop providing CNC milling, turning, EDM, and grinding for aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial customers. It is directly comparable to Elco because both operate as multi-capability precision job shops serving demanding tolerance work across regulated verticals.
• Xometry: Xometry is an online manufacturing marketplace aggregating CNC machining, sheet metal, and other services from a network of job shops. It is directly comparable to Elco because both deliver custom CNC-machined components to industrial buyers; Xometry represents the platform-mediated alternative to Elco's direct-relationship model.
• Thuro Metal Products: Thuro Metal Products is a precision CNC machining and metal fabrication shop offering milling, turning, and assembly for medical, aerospace, and industrial customers. It is comparable to Elco as another established, relationship-driven CNC job shop covering prototype-to-mid-volume production runs with in-house finishing.
• Protolabs: Protolabs operates automated CNC machining, injection molding, and 3D printing services with instant quoting. It is comparable to Elco as both offer custom precision CNC milling and turning of metal and plastic parts on-demand, though Protolabs operates at vastly larger scale and with a digital-first GTM.
• Plethora Manufacturing: Plethora is a precision CNC machining and component manufacturer serving semiconductor, medical, aerospace, and industrial markets with tight-tolerance milled and turned parts. It is a direct peer to Elco given the overlapping capability set (CNC turning/milling), material range, and customer verticals.
• Twin City EDM: Twin City EDM is a precision machining job shop offering CNC milling, turning, EDM, and grinding for medical, aerospace, and industrial customers. It is comparable to Elco as a multi-capability US-based precision job shop targeting tight-tolerance work for similar regulated end-markets.

Emerging players

• Midwest Composite Technologies: Midwest Composite Technologies is a precision machining and assembly provider serving aerospace, defense, and industrial customers with CNC machining and value-added services. It is comparable to Elco's job-shop model but with more emphasis on composite and assembly work alongside metals machining.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Elco Machine Company